Tillandsia Rhayne

I didn't know what to say to him. 'Hey, I'm thinking about killing you? Hey…you know we can never be on the same team, right?' It was just so hard. Yeah, we were from the same district, but could I really spare his life when it meant sacrificing myself? What about Xanny…what about Spader. Not to mention the rest of my family. I guess it was all just an act anyhow. I was at least raised correctly…I had manners.

He walked up to me looking, well to put it bluntly, hot. He definitely wasn't lacking physically. [I would like to add here that if an actor were to play Ryker, it would be Ian Somerhalder-T.R.] He was wearing and outfit that suit him well. Made him look like part of the sea. I couldn't help but blush when he held out his hand for me. "M'lady," he greeted me with a kiss on my knuckles. "How fair ye' today?" He winked in such a way that it seemed natural. What an idiot.

"Wonderful," I said in the softest of voices. It surprised me how I managed to make it not sound sarcastic. I guess he had that affect...the guy who knew how to put anyone in a good mood. Even if you were on your way to die…

"Well, shall we go then?" he took my hand and led me to our carriage. I mostly ignored the rest of the tributes. I didn't really want to get to know the people I had to kill. I would stick to as few as possible. And since I had to have this stupid love image, I guess Ryker was one person I had to at least play nice with.

I let out a small gasp when he decided to whisk me up and carry me bridal style into the carriage. I was so not expecting that. The cameras noticed and immediately put us on the large screen. This was, no doubt, what the viewers at home were seeing on their TVs. Me and Ryker, such a happy couple. I tried to push away… what would Spader think? Would it even matter? But he held me tightly against him. I heard a whisper in my ear, "Trust me," but what was there to trust. Didn't he want to kill me just as badly as I wanted to kill him? I let it go for now. It was just an act right? An act for the sponsors…

I managed to play along like a nice little girl, even throwing my feet over the side of the carriage. It was easy enough in the position that Ryker had me in. I waved like a queen of the seas out from the carriage, smiling and actually enjoying the attention. I almost felt relaxed. Almost. Until I realized that the arms that held me now could very well be the arms that killed me later.

The cameras couldn't get enough of us and just to play it up, I placed the barest of kisses on his cheek. I swore his hold got a little tighter, but I wasn't going to assume anything. We were enemies. Ever since both names were picked, it was game over from there.

Just as soon as it started it was over. Just like that. No more pretending and I could go back to ignoring him. But for some reason, he just wouldn't let that happen. "Ryker," he said casually while exiting the carriage. "I think you gathered that much from the Reaping though," he gave me a crooked smile. Damn, why did he still have to put up an act? It would be easier to kill him if he would just leave me be. "My friends call me Tilly, so I guess you can call me Tillandsia. Ms. Odair if you think that's too much of a mouthful." I could feel my eyes going cold.

"Okay, Ms. Odair," he emphasized the name, "you can lose the attitude. What was that out there if you're just going to be a bitch now?" He raised an eyebrow, expecting a response.

"You want to know what that was? That was called acting. Have you never heard of it? Why bother pretending behind closed doors if, in the end, we're going to have to kill each other anyway?" Didn't he understand? It would be worse getting to know someone…getting to like someone only to lose them later on.

"But we don't have to be enemies…" he said it so quietly. I wanted to comfort him. I really did…but it just couldn't be that way.

"But we are. Now goodnight, the mentors will probably want to begin bright and early." I turned and left before he could say another word.

I sat in my room alone and couldn't help but thinking about him. Could I really bring myself to kill him if it came down to him and me? Hell, could I bring myself to kill anyone? It was just too much for me. What I needed was a dreamless sleep, but I had a feeling that wasn't going to happen tonight, if I got any sleep at all. The mentors would be here tomorrow…I wondered if he would want to train together or alone. Personally, I was going for alone, and he probably felt the same way after tonight. Well, that was to be decided later, for now I just needed some rest. We would show the gamemakers what we had first, so tomorrow would be a simple enough day. I won't have to worry about Ryker very much. Just me and my skills.

Ryker Lynn

Time to go meet my mermaid. She was a pretty girl and I already could tell I wasn't going to want to see her dead. In class, she was always really intelligent. I remembered that. I remembered respecting her, too. But I dropped out before I could really know her. Hell, I didn't want anyone to know me so she really wasn't any different. But she did deserve to go back home…but what about my mother? Could we possibly both go back home? Not a chance. But a rumor, right before I came. Didn't that happen once before?

Now wasn't the time to have thoughts like that, and lucky for me, my mermaid was a nice distraction. Like I said, I always thought that she was pretty…but this was just otherworldly. She was…a goddess in the form of a mermaid queen. That was definitely not the girl I sat in class with. [On a side note here, Tillandsia would be played by Troian Bellisario-T.R.]

Now it was time to get into character. What was Valen saying about pirates? Oh right, the nice accent. And of course courtship. I would want to court my fair maiden, wouldn't I? "M'lady," I took her hand and brushed my lips across her knuckles. Wooing the ladies. Wouldn't it be nice if I could actually go home and test if I was any good at this? "How fair ye' today?" I gave her a fine wink. She didn't seem to be buying anything. Maybe I could get to her…maybe somehow.

"Wonderful," she seemed so shy. So soft spoken, and it was rather adorable. Why did we have to be enemies?

"Well, shall we go then?" I led her to the carriage, being sure to pay attention to her and only her. I was going to make this 'act' work. The best way for others to believe you is to make yourself believe first, right?

It was a daring move, but now was not the time to over think things. I picked her up as if she was my bride and set her on my lap in the carriage. I heard her gasp and could tell she was displeased, but this was the way to woo the audience. She would thank me later for all of the sponsors we would get. I could feel her try and make me let go, but I grabbed on tighter. She was mine, at least for the cameras she would be. And how the cameras did love us. We took up the whole screen. What a nice image, me and my mermaid. My treasure.

"Trust me," I whispered so delicately in her ear. I wanted her to think I was her knight in shining armor. I was here to rescue her. I really didn't want any harm to come to her, and I would not be the one to kill her. Would she believe me?

After that, she seemed to enjoy herself. We were both so relaxed. Then she kissed me. It was working. How could it not? My treasure. I was her hero. It was good to know and I gave her a reassuring squeeze. We were a team now. We were going home together.

Afterwards, I thought it was only fair to have a little conversation. We had to plan things, and what better way to do that then to get to know your other half? "Ryker," I spoke like we were old friends. "I think you gathered that much from the reaping though," I smiled at her, doing my best to show that we were indeed friends.

""My friends call me Tilly, so I guess you can call me Tillandsia. Ms. Odair if you think that's too much of a mouthful." The bitch glared at me. Apparently I got the wrong message. But then why? What was she doing?

"Okay, Ms. Odair," I spat her choice in names, "you can lose the attitude. What was that out there if you're just going to be a bitch now?" I raised my eyebrow at her. If it was all just for show, she didn't have to lay in on that thick. She was hiding something. I mean, hell, I was scared too. But I wasn't the enemy here, didn't she know that?

"You want to know what that was? That was called acting. Have you never heard of it? Why bother pretending behind closed doors if, in the end, we're going to have to kill each other anyway?" She was scared. That was it. So scared of losing everything. Even if she did win…she was afraid that she would still lose…

I said in the calmest voice I could manage, "But we don't have to be enemies…"

"But we are. Now goodnight, the mentors will probably want to begin bright and early." And with that she turned and left without another word. So much for us planning together.

I went back to my room, the only thing I could do at this point, and lay in bed. About tomorrow…what could I show them? What would get me noticed? Perhaps I could even find a way to impress Tilly. I could tell this was going to be a sleepless night…